2016 Doubled Die Reverse WDDR-008

Description

Attributed by Allen Darrow and cataloged as Wexler Variety ID 2016-P WDDR-008, this Jefferson Nickel reverse die features Class VIII tilted hub doubling expressed below the upper portion of the door frame on the center door above the steps of Monticello. Where WDDR varieties on other 2016-P dies may show spread above the door frame, this die's doubling appears below it — a directional difference that reflects the specific orientation of the tilt axis relative to the center door area and determines whether the secondary impression sits above or below the primary design element. A comprehensive set of die markers spans both obverse and reverse surfaces. The obverse carries three diagnostics: a die chip between the E and R of LIBERTY, two die dots on Jefferson's right cheek, and a die dot to the upper right of designer's initials DW — the DW monogram being the initials of Don Everhart, who redesigned the obverse portrait for 2006. The reverse provides two attribution checkpoints: two die dots positioned between the long and small right windows of Monticello, and a die chip below the T of CENTS. The DW-adjacent die dot on the obverse is a particularly reliable marker because the designer's initials sit in a relatively protected area of the design field, meaning the dot resists wear-related loss better than markers near high-relief design elements. Struck at the Philadelphia Mint in 75% copper / 25% nickel clad composition at 5.0 grams, the 2016 Jefferson Nickel continued the Return to Monticello reverse program. Examination at 7x magnification of the center door's lintel area under angled lighting best reveals the below-frame doubling that characterizes WDDR-008.

Attribution History

• Discovered by Allen Darrow
• Wexler Variety ID: 2016-P WDDR-008
• Expert attribution by Allen Darrow

External References